TTT: Gif-ful Writerly (and Readerly) Resolutions For 2016

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Well, I haven't participated in The Broke and the Bookish TTT in awhile, and I'm feeling a bit foggy in the idea department, sooooo, you get my Top 10 New Year's Resolutions! Most of them are writing or book related, but I am prone to fits of incurable randomness.

If you'd like to participate, click here.


It's the 5th already, so I suppose I'm resigned to the fact that 2015 is over. Not that I was particularly attached to it, or anything, it just felt too darn fast. Still, there is a lot to look forward to in the coming year. Especially my book. But in the meantime, I do have some goals, resolutions, and things I'd like to accomplish. And what better way to keep myself accountable than to post them where other people can see?

Writerly/Readerly Resolutions for 2016

 

1. Promote My Debut Novel (Knight of the Blue Surcoat)!

I have been blabbing pretty endlessly about this, but it isn't going to stop. As soon as I get that date, I will be even louder. Prepare yourselves.

Are you?

2. Finish Drafting The Last Coffee Shop and Complete at least One Rewrite

I'm really, really close on this one. I've actually done some rewrites up to the halfway point as a stalling method. I don't know what it is about endings with me - if I know exactly how I'm going to end something, I seem to have a more difficult time reaching the end! How does that make any sense?

Does anyone ever look more dumbfounded than Dean?

 

3. Complete at least One Rewrite/Polish/Edit of One of My Other Novels

This might be the most out there resolution on this list. I am a notoriously slow editor.

Maybe if I walk away no one will remember I said this.

4. Review All My Arcs, Even If It's Just a Paragraph on Goodreads

I have an ARC problem. There's something about an unreleased book that makes me go all melty inside. And then I feel incredibly cool for having an exclusive. Even if no one reads my paragraphs that I pledge to write, I still plan on writing one for every single ARC. *rides off into sunset*

Fabulous Ferb

5. Be More Diligent About Teaching Myself Japanese (And maybe Korean)

Lifelong goal peoples. I forked over what little spending money I have in my budget for some books and cds and workbooks. I'm better at applying myself to something if I have made an investment. And it's also (kind-of) research - because I've had a novel idea stewing that is set in an alternate East Asian landscape. Secondly, traveling to Japan is on my top ten life goals. I'd like to at least understand a little of this complex, elegant, and beautiful language.

Kanji? Are you laughing at me?

 

6. Make an Actual Writing Schedule- And Follow It

Well, my previous attempts have been glorious failures.

I don't think I've actually tried hard enough.

 

7. Win NaNo

More glorious failures. I have hit the 50K word mark once. But that was before I started working all week! But I will not be thwarted by NaNo forever. Maybe this is my year . . .

NaNo, it's me or you.

 
 

8. Learn An Awesome Dance - Because Research

There is a lot of dancing background material in TLCS. I've watched tons of videos and listened to hundreds of dance-y songs to get the feel for things. And all it left me with is the desire to do at least one dance well. My enemies are my coordination and dreadful memory for moves.

I don't think I could learn this one in 50 years of practicing

 9. Read At Least 75 Books That I Have Never Read Before

Goodreads, I'm counting on you. Here's my profile link if you want to join in (and be reading friends). I easily exceeded my goal of 50 this year (nevermind that half of my book count was manga!). Ideally, I'll read one book I own, one for review, and one to expand my horizons. That seems like a good rule of thumb.

Me at every event I've ever been dragged to.

 

10. Put Up One Or More Blog Posts A Week

I definitely saw helpful results from my blogging this year. I got (a little) more confident about sharing my work. I made friends. I consciously tried to work at my writing, even on a casual level. And everyone's input has not only been helpful, it's actually set me back at my personal (or novel) writing with increased drive. In some cases, it's made me want to write my books even more than I already did, or given me a breakthrough. Writing teachers always told me that a little writing every day, of any kind, would help. *hangs head in shame* I'm glad I finally listened to their advice.

I think I can do this dance, at least.

 

 So what are your resolutions or goals for 2016 (writing or otherwise)? Do you feel prepared for the upcoming year?

 

I might be able to learn this one. But I would only wear these clothes if you paid me.

 

Doctor Who and My First Book Signing

A year ago, my lovely sister-in-law (follow her wonderful blog Freckles and Fireflies here*) Erin told me about an interesting post on her Facebook wall: someone was looking for Christian writers who also happened to love Doctor Who. Doctor Who is, of course, the amazing and quirky BBC sci-fi show that has been going strong for over 50 years (!). Since I fit into this very specific category, Erin passed on some contact info, and I wrote an essay.

And then, I basically forgot about it until the beginning of this year, when I got an email announcing the book launch party was scheduled for March 26th,** in Lancaster, PA.

The FB event poster.

Well, I live in West Michigan, which puts Lancaster at about 10 hours away. I thought, "Maybe next time," but then things worked out, I rented a car, and managed to make my very first book signing, as an author! This is a big milestone (after all, it's what I'd like to do for the rest of my life!), and I had a blast on my whirlwind drive to the east. My only regret was that I didn't have more time to sightsee or spend with the lovely people I met (or to take a detour down to Baltimore and go exploring!).

My drive from Ann Arbor (where I stopped for an ABA meeting) was pretty uneventful, even dull, but I had forgotten how lovely southeast Pennsylvania was. The mountains aren't huge here, but they are blue and hazy, and get The Hobbit's "Misty Mountains" song adequately stuck in your head.***

Maybe it's just me, but I'll take any bit of the mountains I can get

Anyhow, I also got to drive through tunnels. WHEEEEEEEE! (I honestly love them). After the fun of the tunnels, I had to stop and take a pretty picture of the backdrop:

It's hard to capture the size/scale from a parking lot, but what can you do. It's still pretty though.

So, anyway, after miles of driving (and lots of BBC news), I finally pulled into a drizzly Lancaster. I met my host Tom Becker (check out his cool ministry here), and then made myself at home.
I spent the next day exploring Lancaster with my friend Claire and her precious son, John. I sort of forgot (for real) that my phone has a camera until too late. As it was, I only got a few pics of historic, downtown Lancaster before it was time to go to the book signing. Here are few of the cool pictures I did take:

The Shippen House

That door though . . .

After the wandering, we ate a fabulous dinner and walked to the signing.The book signing was at an amazing old bank turned performance venue, the Lancaster Trust

Image taken from DiscoverLancaster.com

The talk was by Gregory Thornbury, president of Kings College in New York (and one of the book editors), and it was fantastic! From the fifth commandment to the Doctor's genesis, Mr. Thornbury was enthusiastic, varied, and a great speaker. He might have gotten me into Doctor Who if I wasn't already.

After the talk was the most exciting part: the book signing! At the store where I work, I've handled my fair share of these, from setting up to selling an author's books, but this was my first time on the other side of the table. It felt amazing, and I can't wait to do it again. Though the book has fourteen essays, there were only a handful of us in attendance, but it was still great. That's me in the center with the book (yellow leggings!).

The book is full of fascinating essays on everything from Prayer to Temptation to the Sanctity of Life (mine!), explored through Doctor Who. It's called Bigger on the Inside: Christianity and Doctor Who, and it's published through Square Halo books. You can read more about it here. You can also check out their cool blog Christianity and Doctor Who.

I am now an officially published author. How is that for a weekend?

Footnotes:

*Erin is a funny, talented writer. Follow her.

**March 26th, 2015 was a significant date because (drumroll) it was 10 years ago that day that the 9th Doctor and the reboot catapulted the show into the 21st century.

***I think that song is one thing book people, movie people, and people who had their dad sing it to them in a made-up tune all agreed on. Every version I've heard sounds a lot like this.